Touch of Death
by Chibiscuit
Summary: "I was touched by the Black Rabbit of Inlé."


**This time it's not Vervain's fault. Imagine that! The blame (or thanks) goes to Myrkin for reminding me of that particular line and giving me ideas. Truth is, I was half-joking about writing it but the idea grew and wouldn't leave me alone so I went ahead and wrote it anyway. It is without a doubt the strangest thing I've ever written but I ... actually quite like it... *ahum***

 **Note: this was written with a certain restraining method for rabbits in mind that I learned which causes a rabbit to sit completely still, allowing you to examine them with little effort. My teacher said that some people claim that the hold puts the rabbit in a blissful trance while others say that they're just frozen in fear. I used that here + the fact that the Black Rabbit IS fear. I hope that clarifies the fic a bit.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy! (still own nothing, nothing at all!)  
**

* * *

 ** _Touch of Death_**

Campion had no idea why he'd done it. Part of him told him it was foolish, that his betrayal had been done and that any sort of heroic action now wouldn't lent him forgiveness. He didn't want it, or maybe he did, but he didn't regret choosing Hazel's side. It felt right so why did it feel wrong too? He knew one thing though: he was tired of loyalty pulling him in two opposite directions. Maybe that's why. He'd saved Watership Down by betraying the General and now he'd betray Watership Down by saving the General.

This would have consequences but those did not come to mind. He merely jumped, pushing the General out of the way, the last thing he saw was Blackberry with tears in her eyes and then nothing. There was no real pain afterwards, just one decisive weight on top of him and then everything was still and dark. At least in death he wouldn't be torn apart by his inner conflict. He would finally have peace.

"Not yet." A deep voice rolled through the darkness, echoing all around and through Campion.

"Who-" Campion started and then stopped, surprised he was even able to talk. He was able to think too. In fact, all his senses seemed intact, though it was impossible to see anything in the complete blackness. Was this the Shadowland?

"Yes and no." The voice boomed in answer and Campion realized it could read his mind. Then it must be the Black Rabbit of Inlé but, yes and no, what did that mean? He was dead, wasn't he?

"Your time for rest has not yet come." No- that can't be right! He was dead, that's the end, once you stop running you never run again. And wasn't the Black Rabbit here, talking to him? How could that happen if he weren't dead? Was he hallucinating?

The darkness around him vibrated, the waves ruffling his fur and sending a cold shiver down Campion's spine. "I am very real, Campion, I assure you."

Why am I not allowed to rest? He thought, not trusting his voice. Somehow, it seemed wrong to speak out loud.

"Because I still have work for you in the land of the living." Two bright red eyes cut through the darkness then. They swayed back and forth in front of him in the darkness-no, they were part of the darkness, part of the same being of shadow that was the Black Rabbit. Campion couldn't look away, he felt himself being drawn into their red depths. It was mesmerizing. "You will do my bidding now." Yes, ye- no, no, this wasn't how it was supposed to go. It was over, done with, he didn't want to return just to be torn apart again. He won't go back!

"The decision is not yours." His voice was absolute and Campion felt himself almost agreeing. He shook his head to clear his mind, trying to resist the order, trying to resist the Black Rabbit of Inlé himself. It was difficult. The shadows writhed around him, pressing closer, suffocating him. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to at least escape his piercing gaze but it did little good. He could feel the Black Rabbit looking at him, through him, knowing him in every way possible, more even than he ever knew himself. "It is pointless, Campion."

Something, it felt like the fur of another rabbit, brushed his tail. The light touch sent a spark through Campion's body and his legs twitched. He was vaguely aware of the fact that he couldn't feel any ground underneath them. More touches- over his tail, lifting it, over his haunches, his sides and then his front paws- all light yet demanding. A shiver ran through Campion at each and every one of them. It became more and more difficult to think.

"None bar the Lord Frith can resist me." A wisp of freezing air disturbed his ears as the words burned in his mind. Campion sharply sucked in some air. All he got was shadows, shadows that travelled down his throat and through his body, leaving a tingling sensation behind. His fur felt electrified and his senses went into overdrive. A tongue rasped over his head, travelling slowly downwards over his neck, and eventually stopped between his shoulders. Teeth scraped his fur and Campion held his breath in anticipation for he knew as well as any buck what happened next. Teeth clamped down, hard enough to draw blood, and fur brushed all over his body. His touch was everywhere. Campion froze, eyes wide, heart beating more rapidly every second. Pain racked his body, blood poured from his back, pure fear coursed through his veins telling him to flee, to hide, but there was no escape, and he didn't want to escape. It was confusing, wave after wave of fear was followed by deep pleasure that sent him into a blissful trance-like state. His mind completely fogged over as everything blended into each other-pain, fear and pleasure- it was all the same, it was all the Black Rabbit of Inlé. And it was all Campion craved, the only thing that mattered anymore.

And then, only briefly, the touch was gone and Campion felt himself longing for it, felt him almost begging and that was something he'd never think he'd ever do. But he wasn't really thinking anymore. Claws scraped the left side of his face, raking deep scars across it. The pain was unbearable but Campion welcomed the touch. Teeth fastened around one of his ears and once more the Black Rabbit's voice floated through the darkness, stirring his sensitive ears and filling his mind with its rich timbre.

"You are mine." There was a strong pull and Campion could hear his ear being ripped in half but the pain was numbed by the sudden increase in touches again. Fur brushed his, at his tail, his legs, his head, his stomach, his back,- there wasn't a spot on him the Black Rabbit wasn't present, outside, inside, and everywhere in between. The sensations were overwhelming, causing his body to pulsate with chilling fear and scorching pleasure at the same time. His heart beat so frantically that he thought -if any coherent thought were left to him- that he'd die all over again. The blackness around him hummed with the deep rich sound of the Black Rabbit's voice. It echoed through Campion's body, lifting him even higher. He felt delirious. He groaned and grunted and even screamed but there was no echo of his own voice. Shadows infiltrated his mind, darkening his thoughts, erasing all that had been.

There was no Watership Down, no Efrafa, no Blackberry, no Hazel, no General, no Campion.

There was only the Black Rabbit.

* * *

 **Any regrets yet? ;)**

 **Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Chibiscuit~**


End file.
